South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1887-05-06
A Skirnish Win the CeS.... =


About the middle of autumn we made
. reconnaissance in the direction OF
hassrad, to endeayor to discover the
strength OF the enemy there. Three
regiments OF Cossacks made MP the
Iorce. and we marched all day and part
OF the night before we came In the vi
entity OF the enemy. On the morning
Oh the second day it was reported that
considerable detachment of Turkish
IreGnia.s was encamped short dis
lance III front of us. We had been
moving during the night with as little
morse as possible, and had bivouacked
IN the ram without building fire. in
oruer 10 givc no notice Of our approa h
10 the enemys pickets. It was only
Just daybreak when the orders IN
march were given, and the column
proceed cautiously with n few scont.
In advance. In half hour or 80 we who
were riding little ahead of the col.
umn could see the characteristic conf.
cal Turkish tents assembled in IittIe
valley short distance beyond. At tba
same instant our scouts engaged the
enemy's pickets, and the column halted
Inc camp in sight was only n large
outpost and the General immediately
gave orders for ono regiment to form
and charge through the camp. We
couid see the men Of the designated
regiment uncover and cross themselves.
anu In moment the head of the do
tachment was rapidly moving past us.
among tho officers rode the Major.
my old friend of the Dobrud.
sscha, WHO, unknown to me. had
peen promoted to LieutenantlColo.
neicy, and transferred to another repi-
ment As he dashed past he made n
gesture oil recognition aud waved his
hand Tor me to follow. / believe it was
more the horses fault than nv own.
ior certainly never had a deliberate
intention OF riding in charge if /
could help 1T, but before I knew IL
was Mt the Majors side. OF we went
at a trot, changing our formation to
reglmental front. Then, in an irrepu.
lar line, much broken by the ineauali.
yes OF tho ground, we swept down the
slope at gal'op. There was some
nr.ng, and few Cossacks fell. but 7
doubt If anybody heard a shot. The
numbering OF the hoofs, the shaking of
the grain bags, the rafting OF the cook
ing utensils and the resembling whacks
OF the nagaikas filled the air with a
multitude OF noises which drowned ali
other sounds. The exhilaration of the
moment was supreme. Horses Ms we'll
as men felt its unique stimulus, and
we rushed through that camp. sween.
ing 1T away rs the sudden cloud. burst
In the Rockies tears out the bed of tho
arroyo. 1t was one of those rare mo.
ments OF life when -all sense of indi.
vidnality IS merged in that utterly
overwhelming feeling of exaltation, in
that intoxication of magnetism, which
often possesses large masses of men
moved 10y some grand and simultaneous
impulse. 1t was, perhaps, after nil
very trivial affair from q military point
OF view, but the sensation ] experienced
was by 10 means insignificant or easily
forgotten.
Part of the Turkish force took to
Hight in time and escaped; those who
remained to defend their camp were
sabred, spitted like fowl on the iances.
or captured and led back to the main
column at the end of lariat. The
Rndt OF this little incident was fully
as impressive as the charge itself. al
though in quite another way. After
we made camp that night the men of
the regiment which had engaged the
enemy were drawn up in line with un-
covered heads, and sang a religious
hymn in chorus. How different now
were those faces which few hours
before had been distorted with the
cruel expressions of hatred of the in.
tidei, or giorifed by tho excitement Of
the charge or with the consciousness of
victory! Uniforms apart, the men
looked like rank of devout, peaceful
farmers, bronzed by the sun in the
fields, and begrimed with the dust of
agriculture. The hymn rolled forth in
quaint, sad cadences tuned to n minor
key, like most of the native melodies.
Along the ranks O gap purposely left
here and there showed where comrade
had stood the day before. Although /
could not catch the words they sang.
the significance of the hymn could not
he mistaken. Many rough hands
brushed fearful eyes before the last
mournful note died away, and the regi-
ment then dispersed about the camp
with quiet step, as If the least noise
we're an insult to the memory of the
lead. r. ID. Mipet. in Hayuer,s